Carnival of The Storytellers 7th Edition

Welcome to the 7th edition of The Carnival of the Storytellers. I am starting out this morning writing the editorial introductions to these fine posts on a cold spring morning. Global Warming is failing us here in the South. Late frost this year has ruined some of our vegetation, cancelled softball games, and yesterday it was snowing on the way to church. On April 15th! In Nashville!

There is a fine batch of reading this week and I am hopeful you will spend some time perusing this editions offerings. Enjoy.

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I greatly enjoy stories that center on a character’s tipping point. That point when the character recognizes that conflict is inevitable, and sets their mind and body to action determined to overcome. Beverly Robertson presents Orange Aid posted at murmuring trees, saying, "This story won the First Friday contest over at Wildbird on the Fly. It is loosely based on fact."

A great post by Karen Shanley! A glimpse into a personal relationship that has implications for us all. It reminded me of something I heard yesterday- a woman was explaining how a friend had recently visited and while chatting over coffee talked about how she is so sad and depressed. After listening to her friend go on and on the woman realized that her friend had said “I” about a hundred times. I am sad. I am depressed. I feel this way. I feel that way. I am lacking direction. I am lacking fulfillment. I. I. I. In Argue for Your Limitations and They?re Yours, Karen lives out exactly what this woman I heard yesterday said is necessary to avoid “I” problems. Dive in and pour yourself into somebody. Serve them. Help them. Teach them. Care for them. By doing this, you end up serving, helping, teaching and caring for yourself in the end.

Elvis D is back to his old self. 3 submissions, 2 banned for sex and language (C’mon Elvis! Get creative! Try to express yourself and tell great stories without them.). One story made it in. Congrats. It is a fairly interesting read about a young boy that dies at the age of 3 and is able to keep an eye on his living family. Check out 365Fiction » Beyond posted at 365fiction.

Don West presents Tale of a 10-Year Old Sniper posted at Idle Minutes, saying, "Bravery, challenge, drama, you'll find it all in this humorous, real-life account a boy soldier in 1968." I have decided to break my own rule. Some minor language issues here, so you kids out there (especially mine) skip this one. Everyone else- fun reading. Memories of my own childhood soldiering came to mind immediately.

Madeleine Begun Kane doesn’t fail us- a funny story awaits you called False Alarm posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. It brought back a long lost memory for me of getting stranded at a vacation spot.

This next post reinforced one of the reasons I blog. I have always loved the concept of journaling- in fact, I have quite a collection of journals. Nice leather bound books with luscious paper awaiting the careful and methodical application of a fine fountain pen pouring out thoughts, ideas and memories. Problem is I never get around to writing in them. But they sure look nice on my bookshelf. My blog has become my true journal. Something that has the potential to last until the final days of the world. What an amazing concept. Damaria Senne presents Tell me a story about my past posted at African tales in progress, saying, "This article is about how stories about past childhood antics give children a sense of history and stronger appreciation of their parents/grandparents. As an African, feel it's important that Africans their own stories in their own words, rather than letting others say who they are and where they fit in the global community."

A fine family story brought to life by Jasia. She presents First Time Driving posted at Creative Gene, saying, "This is a true story of Lucy's first attempt at driving. She got much better with time ;-)"

Wow. One of parents greatest fears come to life. I can’t imagine what I would feel if this happened to me, but I know what I would do- exactly what Jenny Blackburn did in Absolutely Bananas: Scary posted at Absolutely Bananas, saying, "Sometimes life provides the most intense drama; this is my story."

hellojed presents It's never too late posted at It Had Better Be Good, saying, "How I finally took the step from dreaming of being a writer to actually starting my novel."

Interesting. Walks The Edge presents Summer of Dragonflies posted at walkstheedge.com, and in it she proclaims two very unconventional thoughts. One- she has learned a great deal from a dragonfly. Two- she is her own savior. As for number one, I tend to want to learn from thinking, caring and loving beings- not insects. As for number two, I wonder how she would have fared as her own savior should she have been the one to encounter the trouble Jenny Blackburn did in her story above.

Dizzy. I figured out that’s what I really feel after reading a post from TherapyDoc. In the past I had said that I couldn’t understand half of what she wrote, and that maybe I was too stupid to get it. I realize now that the problem is that I have lived too long in the south. I used to think and speak fast as a northerner. I have been in Nashville for 12 years now and my mind and tongue have slowed to Nashville speed. TherapyDoc thinks and talks/writes too fast for me. I cant keep up, and after I read a post from her I feel dizzy. Check out When the Little Things Go Wrong posted at Everyone needs therapy? Lessons from a family therapist, saying, "When your kids grow up and leave home, then come back, life can be really challenging. Therapydoc recommends staying relativistic, pardon the pun." See? Even her description of the post she wrote makes me dizzy.

This is a new section added to the Carnival of the Storytellers. It’s for those posts that are in no way a story, nor could they be confused for one, but that somehow I still find mildly interesting.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Essay Contest for High School Students posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Let's spread the word of this Essay Contest on Learning and the Brain for high-school students!"

Alex Shalman presents How To Rebound Your Goals posted at Self Help.

PicktheBrain presents How to Write Something Worth Reading posted at Pick the Brain.

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That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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